Incident Overview
An airline transport certificated pilot was conducting a visual flight rules, multi-leg cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135. During cruise flight, the left engine fuel pressure light illuminated. The pilot activated the emergency pump and switched fuel tanks, causing the light to extinguish. A few minutes later, the right engine fuel pressure light came on. The pilot again turned on the emergency pump and switched tanks, but this time the light did not extinguish. The right engine then began to surge, prompting the pilot to shut it down and feather the propeller.
Approach and Landing
On short final, the left engine began to surge. The pilot moved the gear extension handle to the down position, but the landing gear failed to fully extend and lock before touchdown. During landing, the landing gear collapsed, resulting in damage to the gear attachment points and the wings.
Fuel Status
According to the pilot's calculations, the airplane had 1.2 hours of fuel onboard for the 30-minute flight. After the accident, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air safety inspector witnessed the defueling of the airplane. The inspector reported that approximately 1 cup of fuel was drained from the left main tank, 1 cup from the left outboard tank, 1 gallon from the right main tank, and 2 gallons from the right outboard tank.
Aircraft Fuel Specifications
The pilot operating manual states that the fuel capacity of the airplane is 192 gallons, with 182 gallons being usable.